Tibouchina plant named ‘Angyo Lavender’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Tibouchina plant named ‘Angyo Lavender’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and open plant habit; reddish brown stem color; and large and unique lavender pink flowers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tibouchina plant, botanically known as Tibouchina urvilleana, and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name Angyo Lavender.

The new Tibouchina is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Kawaguchi City, Japan. The objective of the breeding program was to create compact Tibouchina cultivars with unique flower colors.

The new Tibouchina originated from a cross made by the Inventor of two unidentified selections of Tibouchina urvilleana. The cultivar Angyo Lavender was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Kawaguchi City, Japan. Plants of the new Tibouchina differ from the parent selections primarily in flower color.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Irvine, Calif., since 1997 has shown that the unique features of this new Tibouchina are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Angyo Lavender have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, daylength, and fertility level without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Angyo Lavender’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Angyo Lavender’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and open plant habit.

2. Reddish brown stem color.

3. Large and unique lavender pink flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which more accurately describe the actual colors.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of the new Tibouchina.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a close-up view of a typical flower, a typical terminal stem with flower buds and leaves, and upper and lower surfaces of typical leaves of the new Tibouchina.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Plants used for the description and photographs were about 18 months old from rooted cuttings and were grown under outdoor production conditions during the spring and early summer in Irvine, Calif.

Botanical classification: Tibouchina urvilleana cultivar Angyo Lavender.

Parentage:

Female parent.—Unidentified selection of Tibouchina urvilleana.

Male parent.—Unidentified selection of Tibouchina urvilleana.

Propagation:

Type.—By stem cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 14 days at 22° C.

Time to develop roots (time to produce a rooted liner).—About 42 days at 22° C.

Root appearance.—Fibrous, freely branching.

Plant description:

Crop time.—From cuttings, about 18 months weeks are required to produce a flowering plant in a five-gallon container.

Form.—Upright, somewhat outwardly spreading and open habit; subshrub.

Plant height.—About 58 cm.

Plant width.—About 60 cm.

Vigor.—Moderate.

Lateral branches.—Quantity: Freely branching; pinching enhances lateral branch development. Length: Primary laterals, about 29 cm; secondary laterals, about 17 cm. Diameter: About 4.5 mm. Internode length: About 9 cm. Texture: Scabrous, irregular tiny scale-like hairs. Color: Older stems, 177A to 177B; semi-woody stems, slightly greener than 177C; young stems, 178B.

Foliage description.—Leaves simple, generally symmetrical, opposite. Quantity per lateral branch: About 13. Length: About 9 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm. Shape: Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Entire. Texture: Coarse, grainy; both surfaces pubescent. Color: Young foliage, upper surface: 146A. Young foliage, lower surface: 146C. Mature foliage, upper surface: 147A. Mature foliage, lower surface: 147B to 147C. Venation, upper surface: 147B. Venation, lower surface: 146D. Petiole: Length: About 1.9 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 146D.

Flower description:

Flower type and habit.—Rounded flowers arranged in terminal panicles, typically three flowers per terminal; flowers face outward or upright. Corolla with five to seven petals in a single radial whorl. Individual flowers last about two days on the plant. Flowers persistent.

Natural flowering season.—Summer through fall.

Fragrance.—None detected.

Flower buds.—Length: About 4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 144C.

Flowers size.—Diameter: About 8 cm. Depth: About 3.25 cm.

Petals.—Quantity: About five to seven. Length (beyond throat): About 3.75 cm. Width: Apex, about 2.5 cm; base, about 5 mm. Shape: Spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Aspect: Concave towards base, reflexed towards apex. Margin: Entire. Texture: Smooth, satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface: 84A. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 84C; with subsequent development, 81C to 81D.

Calyx.—Calyx length: About 2.5 cm. Calyx diameter: About 1.2 cm. Shape: Hypanthium; separated sepals, elliptic. Sepal quantity: Five to seven. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal color: upper surface, 144A; lower surface, 144C.

Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Angle: Upright to about 30° to vertical. Length: About 1.35 cm. Color: 146D.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About 14. Anther shape: Linear. Anther size: About 1.2 cm by 1.75 mm. Pollen: None observed. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One with seven locules. Pistil length: About 3.2 cm. Stigma color: 146D. Style length: About 2.5 cm. Style color: 149D. Ovary color: 149D.

Seed development.—Seed development has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Under commercial conditions, resistance to pathogens common to Tibouchina urvilleana has been observed. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tibouchina plant named ‘Angyo Lavender’, as illustrated and described. 